Columbus's Log: October, 1492

He sailed on his course to the west. They went 25 leagues and he
computed to the people 20 leagues. They had a great shower. To-day
the pilot of the Admiral at the coming of day feared that they had
gone from the island of Hierro, 578 leagues westward to this place.
The lesser account which the Admiral showed to the people was 584
leagues; but the true account, which the Admiral judged to be
correct and kept secret, was 707 leagues.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2.

He sailed on his way to the west 39 leagues during the day and
night, and told the people about 30 leagues; with the sea
continually calm and favourable. Many thanks be given God, said the
Admiral here. Grass came from the east to the west, contrary to
what had happened before. Many fish appeared: one was killed. They
saw a white bird which appeared to be a gull.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3.

He sailed on his customary route and they went 47 leagues. He told
the people 40 leagues. Petrels appeared, a great quantity of grass,
some very old and some very fresh, and it bore a kind of fruit, and
they saw 110 birds. The Admiral believed that the islands he had
drawn on his chart lay back of them. The Admiral says here, that he
did not wish to remain beating about, the past week and those days
when there were so many signs of land, although he had information
about certain islands in that region,--in order not to be delayed,
as his object was to reach the Indies: and if he had delayed, he
says it would not have been good judgment.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4.

He sailed on his way to the west and they went during the day and
night 63 leagues. He told the people 46 leagues. More than 40
petrels came to the ship together, and two pelicans, and a youth on
board the caravel hit one with a stone. A frigate-pelican came to
the vessel and a white bird like a gull.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5.

He sailed on his course, going about 11 miles an hour. They went
about 57 leagues during the day and night, as the wind abated
somewhat at night. He counted to his people 45 leagues. The sea
was pleasant and calm. Many thanks, he says, be given to God. The
breeze was very soft and temperate. No grass, many petrels. Many
flying-fish flew on to the ship.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6.

He sailed on his course to the west and they went 40 leagues during
the day and night. He told the people 33 leagues. This night,
Martin Alonso said that it would be well to sail to the south-west,
quarter west {a la cuarta del Oueste, a la parte del Sudueste}. And
it appeared to the Admiral that Martin Alonso did not say this in
order to go to the island of Cipango. And the Admiral saw that if
they missed their way, they would not be able to find land so
quickly, and that it was better to go to the continental land at
once, and afterwards to the islands.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7.

He sailed on his way to the west. They went 12 miles per hour for
two hours, and afterwards 8 miles per hour, and they went 23 leagues
up to one hour after sunrise: he told the people 18. On this day at
sunrise, as they were all sailing as fast as possible in order to
see land first and enjoy the reward which the Sovereigns had
promised to whomever should first see land, the caravel Nina which
was ahead on account of being a fast sailor, raised a banner on top
of the mast and fired a lombard as a signal that they saw land,
because the Admiral had ordered this to be done. He had also
ordered that the vessels should all unite at sunrise and sunset,
because these two times are more suitable for seeing a long distance
on account of the disappearance of the mists. As in the afternoon
the people on the Nina did not see land, which they thought they had
seen and as a great multitude of birds passed from the north to the
south-west, for which cause it was reasonable to believe that they
were going to sleep on land or were perhaps flying from winter which
must be approaching in the countries from whence they came, as the
Admiral knew that the Portuguese discovered the greater part of the
islands in their possession by the birds:--For these reasons the
Admiral resolved to change his course from the west, and turn his
prow to the west-south-west, with the determination of pursuing that
course for two days. He began this course one hour before sunset.
During all the night they went about 5 leagues, and 23 during the
day: they went in all 28 leagues during the night and day.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 8.

He sailed to the west-south-west and they went about 11 1/2 or 12
leagues and from time to time it appears that they went 15 miles per
hour during the night, if the account is not mendacious. The sea
was like the River of Seville, thanks to God, says the Admiral. The
breezes were very soft as at Seville in April and it is a pleasure
to be there, they are so fragrant. The grass appeared very fresh.
There were many small land-birds and they took one which was flying
to the south-west. There were jays, ducks, and a pelican.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9.

He sailed to the south-west and went five leagues. The wind changed
and he ran to the west, quarter north-west and went four leagues.
Afterwards in all he went 11 leagues by day and 20 1/2 leagues by
day and night. He told the people 17 leagues. All night they heard
birds passing.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10.

He sailed to the west-south-west and they went at the rate of 10
miles per hour and at times 12, and sometimes 7, and during the day
and night they made 59 leagues. He told the people 44 leagues and
no more. Here the people could no longer suffer the journey. They
complained of the long voyage: but the Admiral encouraged them as
well as he was able, giving them good hope of the benefits they
would receive, and adding that for the rest it was useless to
complain since he had come in search of the Indies, and thus he must
pursue his journey until he found them, with the aid of our Lord.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11.

He sailed to the west-south-west. They had a much higher sea than
they had had in all the voyage. They saw petrels and a green branch
near the ship. Those on the caravel Pinta saw a reed and a stick
and they took another small stick formed as it appeared with iron,
and a piece of a reed and other grass which grows on land, and a
small board. Those on the caravel Nina also saw other indications
of land and a little branch full of dog-roses. With these signs
every one breathed and rejoiced. They went 27 leagues during this
day up to sunset.

After sunset he sailed on his first course to the west. They went
12 miles each hour and up to two hours after midnight they went
about 90 miles which are 22 1/2 leagues. And because the caravel
Pinta was the best sailor and was going ahead of the Admiral, land
was discovered by her people and the signs which the Admiral had
ordered were made. A sailor called Rodrigo de Traina saw this land
first, although the Admiral at 10 o'clock at night being in the
stern forecastle {castillo de popa} saw a light, but it was so
concealed that he would not declare it to be land: but he called
Pero Gutierrez Groom of the Chamber of the King, and said to him
that it appeared to be a light, and asked him to look at it: and he
did so and saw it. He also told Rodrigo Sanchez de Segovia, whom
the King and Queen sent with the fleet as Inspector, who saw nothing
because he was not where he could see it. After the Admiral told
it, it was seen once or twice, and it was like a small wax candle
which rose and fell, which hardly appeared to be an indication of
land. But the Admiral was certain that they were near land. For
this reason, when they said the Salve which all the sailors are in
the habit of saying and singing in their way and they were all
assembled together, the Admiral implored and admonished them to
guard the stern forecastle well and search diligently for land and
said that to whomever should first see land he would then give a
silk doublet, besides the other gifts which the Sovereigns had
promised them, which was an annuity of 10,000 maravedis to whomever
should first see land. At two hours after midnight the land
appeared, from which they were about two leagues distant. They
lowered all the sails and remained with the cross-jack-sail, which
is the great sail without bonnets, and lay to, standing off and on
until the day, Friday, when they reached a small island of the
Lucayas, which is called in the language of the Indians, Guanahani.
Then they saw naked people and the Admiral landed in the armed boat
with Martin Alonso Pinzon and Vincente Yafiez, his brother, who was
captain of the Nina. The Admiral took the royal banner and the two
captains had two banners of the Verde Cruz, which the Admiral
carried on all the ships as a sign, with an F. and a Y. The crown
of the Sovereigns surmounted each letter and one was one side of the
+ and the other the other side. Having landed they saw very green
trees and much water and many fruits of different kinds. The
Admiral called the two captains and the others who landed and
Rodrigo Descoredo, Notary of all the Fleet, and Rodrigo Sanchez of
Segovia, and told them to hear him witness and testify that he, in
the presence of them all, was taking, as in fact he took possession
of the said isle, for the King and for the Queen, his Lords, making
the protestations which were required, as contained more at length
in the depositions which were made there in writing. Then many of
the people of the island gathered there. The following is in the
exact words of the Admiral in his book of his first voyage and
discovery of these Indies:

"That they might feel great friendship for us {he says} and because
I knew they were a people who would better be freed and converted
to our Holy Faith by love than by force,--I gave them some red caps
and some glass beads which they placed around their necks, and many
other things of small value with which they were greatly pleased,
and were so friendly to us that it was wonderful. They afterwards
came swimming to the two ships where we were, and bringing us
parrots and cotton thread wound in balls and spears and many other
things, and they traded them with us for other things which we gave
them, such as small glass beads and hawk's bells. Finally they took
everything and willingly gave what things they had. Further, it
appeared to me that they were a very poor people, in everything.
They all go naked as their mothers gave them birth, and the women
also, although I only saw one of the latter who was very young, and
all those whom I saw were young men, none more than thirty years of
age. They were very well built with very handsome bodies, and very
good faces. Their hair was almost as coarse as horses' tails and
short, and they wear it over the eyebrows, except a small quantity
behind, which they wear long and never cut. Some paint themselves
blackish, and they are of the colour of the inhabitants of the
Canaries, neither black nor white, and some paint themselves white,
some red, some whatever colour they find: and some paint their
faces, some all the body, some only the eyes, and some only the
nose. They do not carry arms nor know what they are, because I
showed them swords and they took them by the edge and ignorantly cut themselves. They have no iron: their spears are sticks without
iron, and some of them have a fish's tooth at the end and others
have other things. They are all generally of good height, of
pleasing appearance and well built: I saw some who had indications
of wounds on their bodies, and I asked them by signs if it was that,
and they showed me that other people came there from other islands
near by and wished to capture them and they defended themselves: and
I believed and believe, that they come here from the continental
land to take them captive. They must be good servants and
intelligent, as I see that they very quickly say all that is said to
them, and I believe that they would easily become Christians, as it
appeared to me that they had no sect. If it please our Lord, at the
time of my departure, I will take six, of them from here to your
Highnesses that they may learn to speak. I saw no beast of any kind
except parrots on this island." All are the words of the Admiral.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13.

"At dawn many of these men came to the shore, all young men as I
have said and all of good height, a very handsome people. Their
hair is not curly but hanging and coarse like horsehair, and all the
forehead and head is very wide, more than any other race seen until
now, and their eyes are very handsome and not small. And none of
them are blackish hut the colour of the inhabitants of the Canaries
nor should anything else be expected since this place is on a line
east and west with the island of Hierro in the Canaries. Their legs
are in general very straight and they are not corpulent, but very
well formed. They came to the ship with canoes, which are made from
the trunk of a tree, like a long boat and all in one piece, and very
wonderfully fashioned for the country, and large enough so that 40
or 45 men came In some of them, and others were smaller, some so
small that only one man came in them. They rowed with a paddle
{como de fornero} and go wonderfully well; and if they upset, then
they all commence to swim and bail them out with gourds, which they
carry. They brought balls of spun cotton and parrots and spears and
other small things which it would be tedious to write about, and
gave everything for whatever might be given them. And I was
attentive and sought to learn whether they had gold and I saw that
some of them wore a small piece suspended from a hole they have in
the nose: and I was able to understand by signs that, going to the
south or going around the island to the south, there was a King who
had large vessels of gold and who had a great deal of it. I tried
to have them go there and afterward saw that they were not
interested in going. I determined to wait until afternoon of the
next day and then leave for the south-west, for according to what
many of them showed me, they said that there was land to the south
and to tile south-west and to the north-west: and that these
people from the north-west came to fight them many times and thus
to go to the south-west in search of gold and precious stones. This
island is very large and very level and has very green trees and
many waters and a very large lake in the centre, without any
mountain, and all so green that it is a pleasure to behold it. The
people are very mild and on account of desiring our things,
believing that they will not be given them without they give
something, and they have nothing,--they take what they can. and then
throw themselves into the water and swim. But they give all they
have for whatever thing may be given them. They traded for even
pieces of pitchers and broken glasses so that I saw 16 balls of
cotton given for three ceotis of Portugal which are worth one blanca
of Castile, and in the balls there would be more than an arroba of
spun cotton. I forbade this and would not allow anything to be
taken unless I should order everything taken for your Highnesses if
there is a quantity. It cotton grows here on this island, but on
account of brevity of time I could not give an account of
everything: and also the gold which they wear hanging at the nose is
found here. But in order not to lose time I wish to go and see it I
can encounter the island of Cipango. Now, as it was night, all went
to land with their canoes.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14.

"At dawn, I ordered the ship's small boat prepared and the boats
belonging to the caravels and went along the island toward the
north-north-east to see the other part of it, which was the opposite
part from the east and also to see the villages: and I saw then two
or three, and the people all came to the shore calling us and giving
thanks to God; some brought us water, others brought other things to
eat. Others when they saw that I did not care to land threw
themselves into the sea and came swimming and we understood that
they asked us if we came from heaven. An old man came in to the
boat and the others called loudly to all the men and women: Come and
see the men who came from heaven: bring them something to eat and
drink. Many came and many women, each one with something, giving
thinks to God, throwing themselves on the ground and lifting their
hands toward heaven, and afterwards they called loudly to us to go
to land; but I was afraid because of seeing a great reef of rocks
which encircles all that island and the water is deep within and
forms a port for as many ships as there are in Christendom: and the
entrance to it is very tortuous. It is true there are some shoals
in it, but the sea does not move any more than in a well. And I
went this morning in order to see all this, that I might be able to
give an account of everything to your Highnesses and also to see
where I might be able to build a fortress, and I saw a piece of
land formed like an island, although it is not one, on which there
were six houses, but which could be made an island in two days.
Although I do not believe it to be necessary, because this people
are very simple in matters of arms, as your Highnesses will see by
the seven which I took captive to be carried along and learn our
speech and then be returned to their country. But when your
Highnesses order it, all can be taken, and carried to Castile or
held captives on the island itself, because with 50 men all can be
subjugated and made to do everything which is desired. Then, near
the said small island, there were orchards of trees, the most
beautiful that I saw, and as green and with leaves like those of
Castile in the months of April and May, and there was much water. I
saw all that harbour and afterward I returned to the ship and made
sail and saw so many islands that I could not decide which to visit
first, and those men whom I had taken, told me by signs, that there
were many, and so many that they could not be numbered, and they
enumerated by their names more than one hundred. Therefore I looked
for the largest and determined to go to it, and this I am doing. It
may be five leagues distant from this island of San Salvador, and
some of the others are farther from it, some not as far. All are
very level without mountains and very fertile and all inhabited, and
the inhabitants make war against each other although they are very
simple and fine looking men."

MONDAY, OCTOBER 15.

"I had been standing off and on this night for fear of not reaching
land to anchor before morning, not knowing whether the coast was
free from shoals or not, and so as to be able to hoist the sails at
dawn. And as the island might be more than five leagues distant,
rather it was about seven leagues, and the tide detained me, it was
about mid-day when I reached the said island; and I found that the
side which is toward San Salvador runs north and south a distance of
five leagues, and the other side which I followed extended east and
west a distance of more than ten leagues. And as from this island I
saw another larger one to the west, I hoisted the sails in order to
go all that day until night, because I would not have been able to
go even as far as the point at the west: to this island I gave the
name of the Isla de Santa Maria de la Concepcion, and almost at
sunset I anchored near the said Cape to learn if there was gold
there, because the natives whom I had caused to be taken on the
island of San Salvador told me that the people there wore very large
golden bracelets on the legs and arms. I quite believe that
everything they said was a hoax in order to flee, Nevertheless my
intention was, not to pass by any island of which I did not take
possession, although having taken one, it could not be said that all
were taken: and I anchored and remained there until to-day, Tuesday,
when at dawn I went to land with the boats armed and I landed, and
those people, who were many and as naked and of the same condition
as those of the other island of San Salvador, allowed us to go on
the island and gave us what we asked of them. And because the wind
blew across strongly from the south-east, I would not remain there
and left for the ship, and there was a large canoe beside the
caravel Nina and one of the men from the island of San Salvador who
was on board the caravel threw himself into the sea and went away in
the canoe, and the night before at midnight, the other having thrown
{blank in original} and went after the canoe, which fled {a medio
echado el otro...y fue atras la almadia, la qual fugoi} so that
there never was a boat which could overtake it, although we followed
it a long way. Nevertheless he gained the land and they left the
canoe, and some of my company went on land after them and all
scattered like chickens, and we took the canoe which they had left,
alongside the caravel Nina, where already there was coming from
another point another small canoe with a man who came to barter a
ball of cotton; and some sailors threw themselves into the sea and
took him, because he would not enter the caravel: and I, being on
the poop of the ship, saw everything and sent for him and gave him a
red bonnet and some small beads of green glass which I put on his
arm and two hawk's bells, which I put in his ears, and I ordered his
canoe, which also was in the boat, to be returned to him and I sent
him to land: and I made sail then in order to go to the other large
island which I saw to the west, and I ordered the other canoe, which
the caravel Nina was towing at the stern, to be loosened and I
afterwards watched the shore at the time of the landing of the other
Indian to whom I had given the aforesaid things and from whom I did
not take the ball of cotton, although he wished to give it to me:
and all the others went to him and he wondered greatly and it
appeared to him that we were very good people and that the other
Indian who had fled had done us some injury, and that we were taking
him on this account: and it was for this purpose that I pursued this
conduct with him and ordered him set at liberty and gave him the
said things, in order that they should hold us in this esteem and
that another time when your Highnesses send here again they may not
receive your people badly: and all that I gave them was not worth
four maravedis. And thus I departed, which might be at 10 o'clock,
with the wind south-east and inclining toward south, in order to go
to this other island which is very large and where all these men
whom I am bringing from the island of San Salvador make signs that
there is a great deal of gold and that they wear bracelets of it on
their arms and on their legs and in their ears and in their noses
and on their breasts. And it was nine leagues from this island of
Santa Maria to this other island east to west, and all this part of
the island runs north-west to south-east. And it appears that there
might well be more than 28 leagues of this coast on this side. And
it is very level without any mountain, the same as the coasts of the
islands of San Salvador and Santa Maria and all the coasts are free
from rocks, except that all have some rocks under water near the
land, on account of which it is necessary to keep the eyes open when
desirous of anchoring, and not to anchor very near land, although
the waters are always very clear and the bottom can be seen. And at
a distance of two lombard shots from all those islands the water is
so deep that the bottom cannot be reached. These islands are very
green and fertile and the breezes are very soft and there may be
many things which I do not know, because I did not wish to stop, in
order to discover and search many islands to find gold. And since
these people make signs thus, that they wear gold on their arms and
legs,--and it is gold, because I showed them some pieces which I
have,--I cannot fail with the aid of our Lord, in finding it where
it is native. And being in the middle of the gulf between these two
islands, that is to say, the island of Santa Maria and this large
one, which I named Fernandina, I found a man alone in a canoe who
was going from the island of Santa Maria to Fernandina, and was
carrying a little of his bread which might have been about as large
as the fist, and a gourd of water, and a piece of reddish earth
reduced to dust and afterwards kneaded, and some dry leaves I which
must be a thing very much appreciated among them because they had
already brought me some of them as a present at San Salvador: and he
was carrying a small basket of their kind, in which he had a string
of small glass beads and two blancas, by which I knew that he came
from the island of San Salvador, and had gone from there to Santa Maria and was going to Fernandina. He came to the ship: I caused
him to enter it, as he asked to do so, and I had his canoe placed on
the ship and had everything which he was carrying guarded: and I
ordered that bread and honey be given him to eat and something to
drink. And I will go to Fernandina thus and will give him
everything which belongs to him, that he may give good reports of
us. So that, when your Highnesses send here, our Lord pleasing,
those who come may receive honour and the Indians will give them of
everything which they have."